In a conventional peroxide bleaching process, sodium hydroxide is used as an alkali source. To achieve a desired brightness with maximum efficiency, auxiliary substances are also used. Such auxiliary substances include sodium silicate, magnesium sulphate and chelating agents inclusive of DTPA (sodium salt of diethylene triamino pentaacetic acid).
Reference may be made to a prior art article by Soteland et al., 1988, TAPPI Proceedings 231-236, which describes a peroxide bleaching process which utilises magnesium oxide as a sole alkaline source. The pulp was pretreated with DTPA and magnesium oxide particles were utilised in a size range of 1.00 mm-0.25 mm or smaller. The magnesium oxide were also used in a concentration of 2-3% based on the dry weight of the pulp. The MgO used in the process was light-burnt MgO and finely crushed. It was found that brightness levels obtained were very close to that which was achieved by conventional bleaching using NaOH. In the bleaching process, the pulp was diluted to form a pulp suspension and the amount of MgO was added to the suspension under vigorous stirring. Hydrogen peroxide was subsequently added to the suspension at a concentration of 3% based on the weight of the pulp. This reference also made the observation that coarse particles are less effective as an alkaline source during peroxide bleaching.
Having regard to the abovementioned reference, an observation was also made in the corresponding patent specification DE3617942 that use of MgO as sole alkaline source considerably simplified the bleaching process since sodium hydroxide as alkaline source and auxiliary chemicals such as sodium silicate could be omitted.
Another advantage of using MgO as sole alkaline source was that only a small amount of waste is produced in the bleaching plant. Thus, for example, in integrated mills which produce magnesium sulphite pulp and peroxide bleached high-yield pulps, the used bleaching liquor is combusted and the MgO may be recovered for re-use.
However, the use of MgO as sole alkaline source in a peroxide bleaching process has not as yet achieved widespread commercial acceptance because although the principle of utilising MgO as sole alkaline source was described in the Soteland at al. references, the means of reducing the principle to practice on a commercial scale has not yet been fully elucidated.